Ffarquhar - North Western Region of British Railways

[NeilHB]

46 minutes ago, Tom F said:

@BritishGypsum4 and I had theorised one of the coffee pots could be still working up there....possibly.

 

However, I personally think Mavis was introduced because the workload was too much for Toby to be shunting at the Quarry as well as his other duties on the branch.

I would be inclined to agree with that theory Tom. We know that there were four coffee pots to begin with, when Thomas arrived and the extension to Ffarquhar opened, I’d say that one was more or less permanently allocated to the quarry shunting and running the quarry tramroad. That leaves a further three for helping Thomas with the goods work, perhaps running a secondary passenger service and one undergoing repairs/maintenance etc.
 

As time goes back I’d wager that one or more were cannibalised as they were withdrawn to keep the others going, and by the time Toby arrives we are perhaps down to the last one (or two?). As well as running the quarry tramroad, Toby is also expected to help with the goods traffic, and run the secondary passenger service.

 

Therefore it makes sense to me that a coffee pot would be kept up at the quarry for doing the shunting, thus allowing Toby time to do everything else that he needs to. Plus I doubt that STH would be too keen on Toby disappearing off into the inner quarry workings to do their shunting whenever he was up there! 

 

I’d theorised that Mavis arrived when the final coffee pot was completely worn out because of the increasing workload. 
 

I really do love the photos of No.7 above - they really are just superb. 

 

[AlfaZagato]

Are the 'Coffee Pots' taken to be DeWinton types?

[Talltim]

To me coffee-pot locos were  Neilson tanks with the fancy saddle tanks, as per 

however a google shows more people think of them as vertical boiler locos

[Talltim]

On 27/01/2020 at 22:27, Tom F said:

A couple more BRS - Sodor Roadway wagons finished today. A Dodge Kew and Bedford in BRS red livery!

 

I’d not read this thread before, but I’m glad I did. Stunning

[Aire Head]

4 hours ago, NeilHB said:

I would be inclined to agree with that theory Tom. We know that there were four coffee pots to begin with, when Thomas arrived and the extension to Ffarquhar opened, I’d say that one was more or less permanently allocated to the quarry shunting and running the quarry tramroad. That leaves a further three for helping Thomas with the goods work, perhaps running a secondary passenger service and one undergoing repairs/maintenance etc.
 

As time goes back I’d wager that one or more were cannibalised as they were withdrawn to keep the others going, and by the time Toby arrives we are perhaps down to the last one (or two?). As well as running the quarry tramroad, Toby is also expected to help with the goods traffic, and run the secondary passenger service.

 

Therefore it makes sense to me that a coffee pot would be kept up at the quarry for doing the shunting, thus allowing Toby time to do everything else that he needs to. Plus I doubt that STH would be too keen on Toby disappearing off into the inner quarry workings to do their shunting whenever he was up there! 

 

I’d theorised that Mavis arrived when the final coffee pot was completely worn out because of the increasing workload. 
 

I really do love the photos of No.7 above - they really are just superb. 

 

 

I personally extend this theory across the whole Sudrian network.

 

For example there must have been other locomotives on the mainline in addition to Edward, Henry, Gordon and James. Perhaps Donald and Douglas were brought in as replacements for a scrapped locomotive that never made an appearance?

 

1 hour ago, Talltim said:

To me coffee-pot locos were  Neilson tanks with the fancy saddle tanks, as per 

however a google shows more people think of them as vertical boiler locos

 

I will be corrected if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that they were stated to be vertical boilered tank engines.

[Joseph the L&YR lover]

13 minutes ago, Aire Head said:

 

I personally extend this theory across the whole Sudrian network.

 

For example there must have been other locomotives on the mainline in addition to Edward, Henry, Gordon and James. Perhaps Donald and Douglas were brought in as replacements for a scrapped locomotive that never made an appearance?

 

 

I will be corrected if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that they were stated to be vertical boilered tank engines.

There is said to be at least 3 other tender engines before James arives and a good few midland tank engines from a line that predates the nwr.  Other than those engines it's said that there is other steam engines on sodor not featured in the books. 

[Aire Head]

Just now, Joseph the L&YR lover said:

There is said to be at least 3 other tender engines before James arives and a good few midland tank engines from a line that predates the nwr.  Other than those engines it's said that there is other steam engines on sodor not featured in the books. 

 

I'm aware of the 3 tender engines that make a brief appearance in the books.

 

Two only appear in Edwards day out and were described by Awdry as having been "sent away" there is also the fan named "Eagle" which is the engine identical to James who tries to push Henry out of the Tunnel which was caused by an Artist error iirc.

 

The Midland Locomotives again iirc were very early days when the NWR was being constructed.

 

There undoubtedly has to be other engines as I can't see how Kirk Ronan and Peel Godred would ever see a train!

[Tom F]

2 minutes ago, Aire Head said:

and Peel Godred would ever see a train!

 

Peel Godred is worked by electrics, which are referenced in Christopher Awdry's books (most heavily in No 42, the final book). 

There really was a missed opportunity for a book 'Electric Engines'.

[Aire Head]

7 minutes ago, Tom F said:

 

Peel Godred is worked by electrics, which are referenced in Christopher Awdry's books (most heavily in No 42, the final book). 

There really was a missed opportunity for a book 'Electric Engines'.

 

Definitely, but was  it always Electric! 

[Tom F]

10 minutes ago, Aire Head said:

 

Definitely, but was  it always Electric! 

 

Yep, was built for electric traction from the start.

 

[Compound2632]

7 hours ago, Tom F said:

I’m modelling in the Autumn of 1959 during the events of book 15 ‘The Twin Engines’. 

 

 

That statement marks the moment at which one knows that finescale Thomas has arrived.

[BritishGypsum4]

7 hours ago, Aire Head said:

 

Maybe the quarry had something before Mavis 

 

7 hours ago, Tom F said:

@BritishGypsum4 and I had theorised one of the coffee pots could be still working up there....possibly.

 

However, I personally think Mavis was introduced because the workload was too much for Toby to be shunting at the Quarry as well as his other duties on the branch.

Certainly had worked up there and hence maybe the reason Mavis was bought to provide the quarry with a permanent shunter and the coffeepot quietly condemned and scrapped.
As stated they were vertical boilered engines, the first one being built by Topham Hatt as he worked for a company on Sodor before the NWR was formed. 
 

Edited January 30, 2020 by BritishGypsum4

[Aire Head]

8 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

That statement marks the moment at which one knows that finescale Thomas has arrived.

 

I'm starting to feel it should have its own subforum in the prototype special interests section! 

 

Mainly so I don't keep distracting from @Tom F wonderful modelling 

[BritishGypsum4]

38 minutes ago, Aire Head said:

 

I'm aware of the 3 tender engines that make a brief appearance in the books.

 

Two only appear in Edwards day out and were described by Awdry as having been "sent away" there is also the fan named "Eagle" which is the engine identical to James who tries to push Henry out of the Tunnel which was caused by an Artist error iirc.

 

The Midland Locomotives again iirc were very early days when the NWR was being constructed.

 

There undoubtedly has to be other engines as I can't see how Kirk Ronan and Peel Godred would ever see a train!

Forget the fan stuff. There is nothing canon about that. 

 

Also you've forgotten the Furness Railway. Borrowed engines went back over time and it led to the 1920s loco crisis, hence why Henry was bought and then the regret kicked in on how bad he was. Again, this was caused by an illustrator error and hence why Wilbert was happy to have him wrecked and sent away to come back as a Black 5. 

[Tom F]

Just now, Aire Head said:

 

I'm starting to feel it should have its own subforum in the prototype special interests section! 

 

Mainly so I don't keep distracting from @Tom F wonderful modelling 

 

I don't mind at all.

 

As long as the TV series isn't mentioned..... 

[Aire Head]

1 minute ago, BritishGypsum4 said:

Forget the fan stuff. There is nothing canon about that. 

 

Also you've forgotten the Furness Railway. Borrowed engines went back over time and it led to the 1920s loco crisis, hence why Henry was bought and then the regret kicked in on how bad he was. Again, this was caused by an illustrator error and hence why Wilbert was happy to have him wrecked and sent away to come back as a Black 5. 

 

Quite agree, I only mentioned the name, should have just called it "the red engine".

 

And yes forgot about the Furness aswell. It's really not my day!

[Aire Head]

1 minute ago, Tom F said:

 

I don't mind at all.

 

As long as the TV series isn't mentioned..... 

 

I have fond memories of the early seasons and they are undoubtedly the reason I'm having this conversation today. But yes Railway Series own, I'm even happy to stay Wilbert only!

[ExplosiveCookie]

3 hours ago, AlfaZagato said:

Are the 'Coffee Pots' taken to be DeWinton types?

They were all designed and constructed c.1905 by a certain Mr. Topham Hatt in his youth, working at the A.W.Dry Company in Tidmouth, for the Knapford & Elsbridge Light Railway.

So safe to say they can be as freelance as anyone would like them to be - though they are all specified to be vertical boiler, other than that it's free game.

[Gibbo675]

39 minutes ago, Tom F said:

 

Yep, was built for electric traction from the start.

 

Hi Tom,

 

You need one of these for the above railway:

 

Kearsley Power Station shunting locomotive.

 

Should I ever pull my finger out;

 

 

Gibbo.

[AlfaZagato]

20 minutes ago, ExplosiveCookie said:

So safe to say they can be as freelance as anyone would like them to be - though they are all specified to be vertical boiler, other than that it's free game.

Cool, sounds like a reason to build a Grasshopper.

[Aire Head]

Thinking back to the "who did Donald and Douglas replace?" Train of thought I had earlier.

 

Does anyone else like the idea of an old 0-6-0 (perhaps a Kirtley ) just soldiering away in the background completely forgotten about until it finally expires sometime in the 1950s?

[RedGemAlchemist]

59 minutes ago, Aire Head said:

I'm starting to feel it should have its own subforum in the prototype special interests section! 

I've been saying that for a while. 

[Tom F]

1 hour ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Tom,

 

You need one of these for the above railway:

 

Kearsley Power Station shunting locomotive.

 

Should I ever pull my finger out;

 

 

Gibbo.

 

You are going to get @BritishGypsum4 all excited with posts like that, Gibbo!   

[TrainMan2001]

3 hours ago, Tom F said:

 

 

 

As long as the TV series isn't mentioned..... 

What's wrong with the first series? That seems to be the only one the Rev. actually approved of, and it stayed really close to the books. 

[Tom F]

22 minutes ago, TrainMan2001 said:

What's wrong with the first series? That seems to be the only one the Rev. actually approved of, and it stayed really close to the books. 

 

Personally for me it's all become a bit tainted.  This sounds hypocritical, as it was the TV series that got me into the Awdry material.....but I do wish Awdry hadn't allowed the TV series to happen. If he could see what it's become, I'm sure he would have wished it hadn't.

Railway Series is a different beast to the TV series, even when you look back at Series 1. The Railway Series makes the engines feel like real locomotives, not toy/models which even as a child, the TV series engines never felt real.

Anyhow, I'd prefer my thread to stick to Awdry's 'Engine Books'.

Just been reading his 1980 annual which has a superb section on his Ffarquhar MkII.